Chocolate IS Healthy. . .

Have you ever been told: “Chocolate isn’t good for you!!” or “Try something healthier, chocolate is too sugary!”? According to the latest research, chocolate, in moderation hold extremely beneficial properties for our bodies. Michael Van Straten, author of Low Carb Super Drinks is a medical practicion and has been a doctor for many years. He has done a plethora of research on foods and their benefits and has created a book to help people find healthy recipes. The first line in the ‘Mealtime Drinks’ chapter reads: “Here’s some delicious chocolate, with the feel-good factor it always brings- and, according to latest research, heart benefits too” (Straten 70). Yes, chocolate is actually good for you. . . in proportions. No one is saying have a chocolate each day, but every now and then, a small piece of dark chocolate actually proves to help your body and in the latest research, has even proven to help reduce heart problems. Straten explains that even though there is delicious chocolate in this drink, that it is low in carbs because dark chocolate has far less fat and sugar than milk varieties. He says that mint is also one of the olderst remedies for indigestion (Straten 70). The drink he refers to is called ‘Bittermint Chocolate’, and it sounds delicious. It is made of:

3 oz of organic, good-quality plain mint chocolate

400 ml or 14 fl oz skimmed milk

4 small sprigs of fresh peppermint, washed

To cook and prepare:

1.      Grate about 15g of the chocolate and reserve

2.     Break the rest into chunks and put into a saucepan with the milk and two sprigs of peppermint

3.     Bring slowly to the boil, stirring until the chocolate is dissolved

4.     Fish out the mint

5.     Whisk or froth with a cappuccino wan

6.     Pour into mugs and serve with the grated chocolate and extra mint floating on top.

Straten emphasizes the fact that foods can help our bodies as much as medicines can. Foods are as healing as medicines and sometimes, medicines are even made up of many herbs and other foods. I know that this drink is calming and enjoyable since it contains mint, and I am more than curious to know how beneficial this drink really is beyond any immediate feelings. It tastes absolutely delicious too!

                

Do you agree with Straten that foods eaten in proportion, like dark chocolate, can be good for you even when you are cutting out all ‘unhealthy’ foods from your diet?

Straten, Michael Van. Low Carb Super Drinks. Great Britain: Mitchell Beazley, 2005. Print.    

A Remedy

Leading a healthy lifestyle is so important and there are many factors that play into achieving this lifestyle: meal planning, exercise, and especially nutrition. All of these aspects are really important but the most essential is meal planning. Most Americans stop out to grab a bite to eat because it is easy and quick; however, getting food on-the-go adds up and can be extremely harmful to our bodies; especially, unhealthy sugars and fats. Dr. Michael Van Straten is a medical practicion and has written a book called Low Carb Super Drinks that I have discovered. Dr. Staten says, “One common cause of fatigue and constant exhaustion is the poor absorption of nutrients due to faulty digestion. The essential oils in hops both stimulate the appetite and improve the digestive process so that by eating better and extracting maximum nutritional value from your meals, you’ll restore your vitality” (Straten 108). As part of the drink ‘Hopalong’, found in Straten’s book, dried hops are included. Faulty digestion can occur when you eat too many unhealthy foods that have bad properties in them. Restoring and keeping your body up to date with health is extremely important and is easily obtainable by meal planning.

 Meal planning is particularly important to helping keep your body healthy and happy, and, it isn’t as hard as everyone makes it out to seem. I especially love it because it means I only have to go to the grocery store once a week and I will have all the food I need for the week at home. Also, it allows you to be creative and find new recipes that could very well be new favorites. I can honestly tell you, I love using Straten’s book to find new recipes to make, and some of the recipes are surprising. After flipping through the book in search of a replenishing drink, I came across the ‘Hopalong’ drink and in it there is:

1 tbsp dried hops (or 1 hop tea bag) 

1 tsp maple syrup

  

It's really simple to put together-- all you have to do is slowly boil the ingredients together until ready. 

               Sometimes the ingredients in some of his drinks seem quite strange, yet Straten emphasizes the fact that no matter what symptom you experience: migraine, hangover, flatulence, flu, water retention, insomnia, wrinkles, stress and anxiety, or indigestion, there are an abundance of foods to help (Straten 107).  No matter if you want to reduce a certain symptom or just eat healthy foods, there is a food that contains a beneficial property for everything. Believe it or not, most medicines are actually made of natural plants and herbs (Straten 106) and dried hops are just one of them.

I highly recommend that you try this out or simply another food that will remedy any issues you are having that Straten talked about.

And, before you freak out because you’ve heard about ‘hops’ and beer, no, hops are not alcoholic. Dried hops come from a plant, and are used to flavor beer, but do not actually contain any alcoholic properties themselves.

    

Do you know of any strange foods that include some of the best healthy properties for our bodies and still taste good? Do you agree with Straten that there are foods that can help for almost every symptom or illness? 

Straten, Michael Van. Low Carb Super Drinks. Great Britain: Mitchell Beazley, 2005. Print.    

Bedtime Drinks

Have you ever been so stressed, anxious, or overwhelmed that you just can’t seem to get any sleep? Have you eaten too much and are awake with a growling stomach? Or eaten too little and lay awake with heartburn and indigestion? Well, these are all factors that can determine how well you sleep. Medical practitioner, Michael Van Straten, says, “Everyone will have the occasional bad night’s sleep. Stress, anxiety, pain, indigestion, strange beds, a snoring partner, or even the weather can be to blame” (Straten 88). What Straten explains is that many factors can affect how your sleep patterns play out. They can be very small and unnoticeable, to things you wouldn't even think would disrupt your sleep. He states that many of his patients, struggle with insomnia, and that many of these emotions just make matters worse (Straten 88). Stress, anxiety, and depression are some major emotions that can affect your sleep. There are many DIY remedies and recipes that Straten has put together in his book. He reminds you that, “None of them will knock you out like a zombie or leave you feeling muddle-headed in the morning. What they will do is help you unwind, relax, get rid of anxiety, and prepare your body physically and mentally for the night ahead” (Straten 89). What he has done is found food that help our bodies relax so that they can reach a state to sleep easy. Straten has created a handful of bedtime drinks that can help you achieve this state. One of those is ‘Yoghurt Mint’. Yoghurt Mint is comprised mainly of dairy products that provide calcium for your body which is naturally relaxing for your body and stimulates the brain’s release of mood-calming tryptophan. Menthol and menthone are found in mint and are one of the best remedies for digestive issues. This being said, mint would be a great food to consume to help you sleep (Straten 101).

Yoghurt Mint Recipe:

5 fl oz yoghurt

3.5 fl oz semi-skimmed milk

3 sprigs of fresh mint, plus 2 leaves to garnish

 

Grab a small saucepan, and very gently heat the yoghurt, mint sprigs, and milk for ten minutes. Take out the 3 mint leaves, and pour into a glass, garnishing the top with 2 mint sprigs.

Personally, I know a handful of people who struggle with sleep issues like insomnia. While this drink may not be everybody's cup of tea, I highly suggest finding a drink like tea or this Yoghurt concoction to see if it helps. Straten has done a lot of trustworthy research to help people who deal with these struggles.

Do you believe that there is any objective approach to coping with sleep? Do you agree with Straten that using foods’ beneficial properties like those found in mint is a valid approach?

Do you believe that the trick to sleeping is one that is cognitive rather than tangible?

Straten, Michael Van. Low Carb Super Drinks. Great Britain: Mitchell Beazley, 2005. Print.    

Energy Drinks

Energy drinks are loaded with unhealthy sugars and fats. Often, many people reach for an energy drink when they find themselves grasping for energy. Yet, they are unaware of the unhealthy concerns that come along with consuming an energy drink like Red Bull or Monster. For example, the lack of planning in people’s diets. Michael Van Straten is the author of Low Carb Super Drinks and medical practitioner studying the relationship between health, the food we eat, and disease for over 35 years. In his book, he explained, “Despite twenty-four-hour supermarkets and Sunday shopping, many people just don’t find time to plan their eating and shop for the necessary ingredients. The result: take-aways, ready meals, convenience food, instant soups, pot noodles, and a burger-bar attitude to food. This inevitably leads to overeating and undernourishment” (Straten 47). People often impulse buy, or go out to buy fast-food or eat at a restaurant to avoid the hassle of buying ingredients and making food at home. However, there can be some serious health concerns along with that, such as the health of your overall body. Focus is not on observing calorie intake and sugar intake, but what is easy for us to do. Have you ever stopped out for a bite to eat on the way home because you are too tired to go home and cook, and constantly repeat these actions? The importance of meal planning is something Straten makes sure to point out in his book. Straten included in his work, many high-energy drinks, that are extremely beneficial to our bodies and will help us to obtain a better meal plan. 'Strawberry Fair', one of the many drinks in Straten's book, is jam-packed with vitality and nourishing ingredients (Straten 53). A smoothie-like drink that is packed full of energy to give you that extra boost for the day.

 Strawberry Fair contains:

6 Medium Strawberries,

6oz red grapes,

1 banana,

2 unpeeled kiwi fruit,

1 pomegranate; seeds and flesh scooped out,

2 passion fruit; seeds and flesh scooped out.

 

After washing all of the necessary ingredients, all you have to do is throw them into a juicer. Then, put into a glass, and stir in the pomegranate and passion fruit and you’re done.

I must say, this smoothie was absolutely delicious! And, PACKED with beneficial vitamins and properties for my body. I felt refreshed and almost rejuvenated after drinking this because it tasted so fresh.

I believe that Dr. Straten has created such drinks to successfully prove to us that energy, fullness, relief or calming sensations are reached from unhealthy, sugar-filled foods and drinks.

Are there any other healthy ‘energy drinks’ that aren’t as sugar-packed as a Red Bull or Monster? Do you agree with Straten that drinks like these are an efficient way to obtain energy rather than consuming large amounts of unhealthy sugars in a Red Bull or Monster?  

Straten, Michael Van. Low Carb Super Drinks. Great Britain: Mitchell Beazley, 2005. Print.